Akofa Deh (286)
Staff Writer

In the past few years, colleges have seen a vast decline in students majoring in the humanities fields like art history, English literature, history, anthropology, and sociology. This crisis has caused students to believe you can’t be successful with these majors. Students sprint toward STEM as if their financial futures depend on it. In the age of eternal debt by college tuition, it seems students have taken a “return on investment” approach to education. Translation: “Will this degree help me buy food in a housing market where I’ll never own a home?” While it’s hard to argue with the appeal of a six-figure tech salary, the mass exodus from the humanities has many educators asking— what happened to learning how to think?

So, I took to the streets (the halls of our esteemed educational institution) and found that the people I interviewed had various answers. Some thought there was not enough money in it, others didn’t see it as an option (due to lack of representation but also parental expectations). One member of 286 claimed that “there’s a lot of factors that go into it but I think the lack of diversity in the field, economic barriers, and the amount of other jobs that grab people’s attention. People don’t find it as interesting anymore because of all those things.” The more I interviewed, the more I found evidence for Akofa Deh’s (286) Staff Writer this claim. I heard from two future humanities majors in 285 and 286 who plan to study history. I asked one about her decision and she said that she wanted to go into criminal justice (not a social science) but would study history as a foundation for learning to practice law. The other said that she’s interested in English and history, but is interested in becoming an astrophysicist, so she’s not completely sure. When listening to the students’ answers, I came across a pattern: humanities seems to be a path that many don’t see themselves in for the long run. To them majoring in the humanities is an enigma why pay for a degree that won’t assist you in life? Why go for the degrees that make you drown in student debt? Who would want to be a historian when you could be a doctor or an engineer something with an actual impact?

The Crisis: To Humanities or Not to Humanities? We get it. STEM degrees are filled with cash. Who wouldn’t want to say, “I’m in quantum computing (I make more money than you)” at family gatherings? While your English major cousin is quietly reading “Divine Comedy” in the corner and asking, “What’s the meaning of life?” (Answer: probably not an allegory of a soul’s voyage to salvation but also not that Comcast interview you just bombed). Concerns over job prospects are the main drive of the humanities crisis. Fields like engineering and computer science offer clear, high-paying paths. But are we forgetting humanities graduates also land jobs? Humanities majors bring critical thinking, creativity, and ethical reasoning to the table—the skills that help when the apocalypse eventually comes. We need someone to argue why we shouldn’t let AI run everything. However, these opportunities are sinking because of the humanities crisis. Classes that focus on the study of humans and the history of culture are integral parts of our education as well as knowledge that we should know in order to be functioning members of our diverse society. It is a crime that these majors as well as these career paths are disappearing because they are so important they are equally important as any other major.